Renault Triber facelift spotted testing, front end fully covered

Renault is set to bring a facelifted version of the Triber, its budget seven-seater, to the market soon. The car is popular and competes with larger vehicles such as the Maruti Ertiga and the Innova.

Pictures of the new Triber undergoing testing have surfaced. They show no major change at the rear, and the car looks like the current model. The side profile has the same lines and creases. The front was fully covered, which indicates a major change there. A new headlight, grille and bumper are expected. The company has kept the front look under wraps for now.

The current Triber already comes with a long list of features: projector halogen headlights, an 8-inch touchscreen, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, a wireless charger, steering-mounted buttons and push-button start. The new model will have a slightly changed dashboard design. More soft-touch material will be used inside, making the car feel more premium, and the colours will be in lighter shades. Overall, the interior is expected to look better.

On safety, the Triber's record is mixed. It earned 4 stars in an earlier Global NCAP test, but only 2 stars when tested under newer, stricter norms. The car does offer 4 airbags, ABS with EBD, hill start assist, rear parking sensors, a camera and a tyre pressure monitor. More airbags are expected in the facelift.

Renault is not expected to change the engine. It will continue with the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine, which produces 72 bhp and 96 Nm of torque. The engine is not very powerful but suits city driving, and it also gives good mileage.

Renault will launch the new Triber soon. The current model starts at Rs 6 lakh, which is low for a seven-seater. The new model will cost slightly more but is still expected to remain the cheapest seven-seater in the country.